As we edge towards the end of the season, its celebration time in the non league high flyers club. Predictably the QPR connections are abundant (even if I have to clutch at them more tenuously than a Crewe goalkeeper going for a cross).

So let's doff our collective caps to next season's new boys first of all. Conference champions Yeovil Town have finally fulfilled the legacy of our very own Grandmaster of management Alec Stock. For many he was a hero for the R's but his achievements at the West Country club many years ago made him the Legend that he is. Yeovil finished off with a draw, so not quite in style, but incredibly in front of 8,111 fans! However, now that they are a league club, it makes me feel (marginally) better about losing to them last year in the Mickey Mouse Daf Cup.

So who else has got the promotion bug? Look no further than the phoenix club themselves, Aldershot Town. They are now one step away from returning to the league after going out of business a few years back. And how did they do it? By using ex-QPR players, how else?! Some such as Richard and Mark Graham and of course Karl Ready, have been and gone, but Lee Charles is still there. However this seasons hero is a more recent addition and maybe one we'll regret letting go.

Nikki Bull left us for the Shots, having been unable to make the breakthrough to the first team, he's not only done so at Aldershot, but he's has also been named their Supporters Player of the Year. To mark a truly fantastic season for him he went one better than most keepers ever do this weekend. Aldershot beat Hendon 6-2 and their fourth goal was scored by... yes you guessed it, Nikki Bull! Aldershot were awarded a penalty and immediately the crowd began to chant Bull's name. Sure enough, to add to the carnival atmosphere he stepped up and duly despatched the spot kick.

So up go Aldershot to the conference, having piped runners up Canvey Island. But they weren't letting Aldershot hug all the limelight. Canvey finished their season with a quite remarkable 10-1 (yes, I said ten) win over Enfield. At 6-1 Enfield probably felt relieved when 4 goal hero Lee Boylan was substituted, but they hadn't bargained on ex Ranger Bertie Brayley replacing him. Bertie came on in the 79th minute. 4 minutes later he had scored a hat trick!

The joy continues for ex Ranger's elsewhere as championships in lesser leagues were confirmed for various players, such as Andy Tillson at Team Bath who move up to the Dr Martens league from the Screwfix Premier, Christer Warren at Eastleigh Town in the Jewson Wessex league and Leon Jeanne (who seems to be accepting life as a substitute these days) as Barry Town became Champions of Wales in the JT Hughes Mitsubishi Welsh Premier League (no really, that's its official title).

Congratulations should also go this week to these previous ex filers. Martin Allen, who has been confirmed as Barnet's new manager, following a successful spell as caretaker boss. Hamid Barr, still over at Tonbridge Angels. He scored a double in a 2-2 draw at Banbury and Justin Cochrane on scoring yet another penalty for Hayes, his second this week having also got one on bank holiday Monday. 

Cochrane seems to score every week these days. Unlike Carl Leaburn, who I am pleased to say, scored his first goal in 150 years for Grays as they beat Billericay 1-0 (me, exaggerate? Never).

One man who definitely does score every week is Sammy Koejoe. I reported earlier this season that he is playing back in Austria for FC Wattens-Wacker. Well he is still there, FC Wattens-Wacker are still top of the league and he is still the league's top scorer. He scored at the weekend against RW Rankweil in a 4-1 win, to take his total to 30.

And finally a quick report on Marien Ifura's current loan progress at Aylesbury. Having been sitting in the relegation places for the best part of the year, Ifura and his team have put together a couple of wins, edged out of the relegation zone and barring a miracle the size of the one we hope Tranmere don't manage, they are now safe. Well done to the lad. He seems to have made a name for himself up there and will return to us smelling of roses. This can mean only one thing of course... he will never make the first team, have his contract torn up and sign for Bottesford Town in the Kitclub Central Midlands-Computer Products Supreme Division. Oh well, it'll give me something to do next season!

Many thanks to everyone who has been over the last few months, the response has been amazing. The ex files will be back next season but if you hear of any summer moves involving ex QPR players dragging out their careers at the lowest level, I'm only too happy to hear about it.

varc@qprnet.com